Thursday, August 27, 2015

(ROC-The Philippines) - With great joy and gladness, we announce the reception through a mass baptism the parish and catechumens from St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church. Photos taken during the mass baptism last August 21, 2015, Friday, of the newly accepted St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church in Ladol, Alabel, Sarangani Province, Philippines. A total of 239 catechumens are baptized including two Aglipayan (Philippine Independent Catholic Church) "bishops" and four Aglipayan "priests". Aglipayan "bishop" Esteban Valmera was baptized as STEFAN; Aglipayan "bishop Rogelio Ringor was baptized as GREGORY; Aglipayan priest Elieser Delfin was baptized as ELEASAR; Aglipayan priest Dioscoro Bergado was baptized as Alexy; Aglipayan priest John Collado was baptized as Timothy and Aglipayan priest Renato Buniel was baptized as ROMANUS.

Also baptized during this event are the five candidates for seminary in Russia. The baptism was performed by Fr. Kirill Sckharboul and Fr. George Maximov after the almost two years of Orthodox catechisms. This parish formerly serve as the Aglipayan Cathedral where Aglipayan bishop have his See. NOW, it becomes as the 4th Parish of the Moscow Patriarchate in the Philippines.

With this event, it marks a new stage, a series of mass baptism of 29 parishes from different parts of Mindanao is expected in the following weeks. Many years to the newly baptized Orthodox Christians!

More colonialism by "orthodox canonical" churches who can't even agree to form one united jurisdiction anywhere outside their own lands. I guess the "bishops" and "priests" will settle in for awhile and then like most groups will split from their "orthodox canonical" overlords.

No they were from the Philippine Independent Church, which is also called the Aglipayan Church. That was an attempt at a national denomination formed as a result of our country's revolution against the Spanish Empire in 1898.

The below is a huge blow to the idea of a united, canonical Orthodox Church in America. When ROCOR declared that they didn't want to be ...

"The World is trying the experiment of attempting to form a civilized but non-Christian mentality. The experiment will fail; but we must be very patient in awaiting its collapse; meanwhile redeeming the time: so that the Faith may be preserved alive through the dark ages before us; to renew and rebuild civilization, and save the World from suicide."